Beginner Equipment advise needed

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luke haines

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luke haines
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Hi all,
I have decided to take the plunge into starting my photography hobby.

I spend alot of time outdoors fly fishing and getting close to nature, but would like to enhance this my include photography as a hobby/skill.

I am after advice on a suitable DSLR taking into consideration that i would be interested in photographing wild birds and animals plus the option for landscapes of the streams and rivers i fish.

I am looking for a DSLR that will still enable me to be mobile. Current budget is around £350 ish.

All advice welcome
 
luke haines said:
Hi all,
I have decided to take the plunge into starting my photography hobby.

I spend alot of time outdoors fly fishing and getting close to nature, but would like to enhance this my include photography as a hobby/skill.

I am after advice on a suitable DSLR taking into consideration that i would be interested in photographing wild birds and animals plus the option for landscapes of the streams and rivers i fish.

I am looking for a DSLR that will still enable me to be mobile. Current budget is around £350 ish.

All advice welcome
Click to expand...
Buy a bridge camera.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but a lens long enough for small birds s/h would take your budget as a minimum. You could Add a std zoom and body quite cheap.
 
Nikon D90, sigma 70-300, Nikon 18-55. Should be able to get all of this secondhand for around your budget.
To get excellent IQ for what you described you need to add a zero to your budget.
 
Phil V said:
Buy a bridge camera.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but a lens long enough for small birds s/h would take your budget as a minimum. You could Add a std zoom and body quite cheap.
Click to expand...

it does depend which birds and how close you can get to them - with a hide and a feeding station you can get close enough to garden birds for a 70-300 or 55-250 to be an option
 
With a Nikon D7100 and Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 SP I fill the frame with small birds on a feeder around 12 foot away from my back door. I'm currently experimenting with cutting a green PVC tarpaulin to hang over the open door, and cutting an opening for the lens. One shot and the bird will fly. Out in the wild I wouldn't have any success unless I bought and used a hide. Carrying a hide could clash the with the OP's wish to remain mobile. Birds aren't my main interest. The 70-300 is a very versatile lens, I use mine a lot, but you would struggle with small birds unless you were very innovative. A superzoom bridge camera would be the most straight forward option for somebody new to photography, especially if it's to be combined with fishing trips.
 
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Phil V said:
Buy a bridge camera.
Click to expand...
I have to agree... I still use a compact/compromise camera a lot. It costs a lot of money to get beyond an entry DSLR and kit lenses. And if you don't go beyond the entry kit, it's not much better than a bridge camera (and *worse* in some ways).

I would look at something like a FZ1000 or FZ330.
 
OK so a 70-300 would be a start, but a crap one and a kit lens and body would still be a struggle for his budget.
 
BBR said:
Nikon D90, sigma 70-300, Nikon 18-55. Should be able to get all of this secondhand for around your budget.
To get excellent IQ for what you described you need to add a zero to your budget.
Click to expand...

For you budget, your talking about camera several generations old, but don't discount them because they don't have all the latest technology, a Nikon D90 a very capable camera, has a built in focus motor, so idea to take advantage of all Nikon's lenses. You could also look at the Canon XXD or XXXD range. Mpb photographic are a used camera dealer and are selling the D90 for around £110, leaving you £250 for a lens. Would probably recommend the tamron 70-300mm VC lens. There are several other used dealers, camera depot, mifsuds, ffordes, camtech, the more expensive end, WEX, jessops, London camera exchange, all have used gear, so it's worth looking around as your budgets limited. You need to spend more on the lens than the camera, as camera bodies get upgraded more than lenses, be aware about shutter counts, most have shutter count life's of say 100,000 activations, so pick one with the lowest shutter count and perhaps stick with just 1 lens and body.
 
Phil V said:
OK so a 70-300 would be a start, but a crap one and a kit lens and body would still be a struggle for his budget.
Click to expand...

second hand would be viable

50D £200 , 55-250 £95, 18-55 £50

and actually the 55-250 is a nice little lens for the price - if you can't afford a long lens getting closer is your only other option - so i'd say start with that, and save up for a second hand 150-500 or 150-600 (another £500 or so) later

or for even less money he could get a 40D for about £100 - okay so its old but it still takes decent pictures , and you can get a sigma 135-400 for about £250 (its not the greatest lens in the world but its okay)
 
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